The Diet Industry Is Rigged

Sorry, Your Diet Is Actually Set Up To Fail - Here's Why

That is to say, scratch the thought of latching on to a diet for a few weeks or a few months hoping that your perfect body is on the other side of a bowl of kale. There is a cyclical and complex relationship between the diet industry’s need for profit and diet failure. The two are directly connected. The diet industry is set up to make you fail because your failure generates income.

It is rather brilliant actually – Americans reportedly spend more than $60 billion a year trying to lose weight. The problem is most people can’t maintain it. From celebrity endorsements, rock-hard bodies in perfectly placed advertisements, we are all – men and women alike – bombarded by messages telling us to look a certain way. And if you fail, you take the blame. But if the diet industry actually delivered on their promises, if it was as easy as following the latest foodie trend, people would stop looking for the next quick fix and the industry would shrink. But it doesn’t. It’s growing, exponentially.

Have you ever fallen off the bandwagon? You must be weak. Have you ever cheated on your diet? The excess hunger is in your mind. It has nothing to do with the fact that you’re starving your body. Maybe you just haven’t found the right diet yet. You know, the magic one.

The diets aren’t failing you, they say. You’re failing them. If you’ve tried a diet more than once, you’ve probably felt compelled to try again, especially if you regained the weight you lost. Studies show that, while possible, maintaining weight loss is unlikely for most people. That’s because there are different variables required outside of just diet consistency including diligent exercise, a resistance to diet triggers and overall satisfaction. If you don’t feel satisfied, you’re likely to quit.

The idea that the weight loss and diet business, not unlike other businesses, is fueled by profit, means that your failure is worth more than your success. That brings into question whether dieters want help in the first place. How many of those people have simply been manipulated into thinking that they need to lose weight to be healthy?

Realistically, not much works long-term when it comes to weight loss. I am confident however, that if people get back into the kitchen and to the grassroots of cooking, the next generation will be more likely to learn that being healthy is more than striving to be lean. If we can teach the fundamentals of cooking, shopping and recognizing bullsh*t when we see it, then it’s possible we can give the next generation the skills to navigate the perpetual diet sinkhole.

It seems like as the diet industry grows the more people steadily lose their knowledge of eating and cooking. And not even healthy eating, just eating. People have grown fearful of foods, unsure if one bite of one food will betray them.

I hate the diet industry. And I’m not talking about the frustration you feel when the barista screwed up your low fat, half-caf, half-sweet, extra hot, double shot cappuccino with cashew milk. I’m talking the deep loathing you feel toward yourself after being pummeled by the flurry of gut-be-gone ads that you’ll be assaulted by in just 60 minutes of television. I would prefer the diet industry died. Decades of empty promises and outright lying has earned its death warrant. Or at least a permanent break-up.

There shouldn’t be a laundry list of diet rules. Just one. Adopt an eating plan that will last a lifetime and in the meantime, enjoy your body at your current weight. Once you’ve mastered self-acceptance and appreciation, consider lifestyle changes that work for you. That means be active, manage your stress, take any medications you’re required to, get more sleep and eat well. If you can master these – which is no small feat – and maintain your eating routine for three months, only then you should consider trying to lose weight. Then look for ways to decrease calories that don’t stifle your ability to enjoy your life.

Stop dieting. Accept and enjoy your body. Know that health doesn’t come in one size you can’t accurately measure health by the number on a scale. When you have a positive relationship with your body, you can successfully build habits that lead to a healthy lifestyle that lasts. Loving and accepting yourself makes healthy eating, being active, managing stress and sleeping better easier.

Think about incremental changes. Small tweaks can change the trajectory of your whole life. Those are the things that will make you feel healthier, have more confidence and more energy. Shifting priorities can help you make up your mind to stop dieting and start living a happier and healthier lifestyle. The real key to weight management isn’t just weight loss. It’s eating food that nourishes your body. It’s living an active lifestyle. It’s accepting yourself as you are.

* This article is to be used as a general reference guide and not as a substitute for professional medical advice, treatment or diagnosis. This piece was written for information purposes only.Emma Train, RD, is a registered dietician and blogs at www.InYourFaceNutrition.com. Follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.